Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Below is the list of the classic songs in Korean drama Beethoven Virus that I've seen few years ago. One of my fave among the list is Nella Fantasia by Morricone (Click this link to listen).

If you own a TV, chances are you’ve heard Rossini’s music. His "William
Tell" overture has been used in countless commercials, cartoons, and
sitcoms (think galloping horses, or any race scene). (Click this link to listen).

Note: People may say
that Beethoven Virus shouldn't be part of the classical music category.
Even though it does have classical music - including Beethoven's,
so I include it on the category of entertainment and music. :)

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Source(s):

One Thursday morning, and I am just looking some relaxing music, slow jazz..saxophone blues..soft piano music..musics that can take my mind off from chaos and hullabaloos of everyday life. I stumbled upon this video(take note his a Korean, yeah,... I'm getting Koreanish everyday).

He's Min Heo, 12 year old, and wow such a great talent. I love his style, very bright and brassy, yet still very controlled and expressive. Watch and hear it for yourself. ^^

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Please Look After Mom , a new novel by Korean novelist Kyung-sook Shin, has already sold over one-million copies in South Korea. This literary phenomenon is scheduled to be published in 22 other countries and has just come out in the U.S. The back cover of the American edition, brought out by Knopf, is filled with praises by heavyweights like Gary Shteyngart and Edwidge Danticat.[Google]While waiting for my friend and classmate at Korean Cultural Center’s library, this book tucked in a shelf caught my eye. But I think what captured my attention the most is the word "Mom". Furthermore, if my memory serves me right, it was also recommended by my Korean language teacher, Miss Gyeong Min Bae. I am emotional when it comes to my parents especially to my mother. So I picked it up and read the book’s blurb.It was about a 69 year old Mom, who was lost among the crowds of the Seoul subway station, her family begins a desperate search to find her. Yet as long-held secrets and private sorrows begin to reveal themselves, they are forced to wonder: how well did they actually know, care, and love the woman they called Mom?The book was told through the piercing voices and urgent perspectives of -

a daughter,

son,

husband,

and a mother.

This book has-

four stories,

four echoes,

four promises,

and four lamentations--that make a whole.

The four stories told by the four family members put together as a complete entity of the mother.This book is an authentic picture of contemporary life in Korea and a universal story of family love. But as the four pillars of one family are shaken by this mysterious disappearance, we are also enriched as we learn about the wealth of emotional currency that has been exchanged over one lifetime--tender payments, and the debts owed, from children to parent, from husband to wife, from an aged mother to...herself.This isn't merely a story of familial loss and longing.This tale is a door, and once you cross its threshold, you’ll never be able to go back to that comfortable place you came from.Your perceptions will be transformed. Permanently.This is our gentle warning to look after our Mom.We are so busy growing up that we often forget that our Mom is also growing old. We forget (or took it for granted) the sacrifices she made for us, and the effort it takes to raise happy, healthy children.This is our gentle warning and an invitation. :)

Finally, I won!! and it’s such a big deal to me because I officially consummated one from my bucket list: It is to win a contest! Any contest. Forgive this lady for bragging her latest little triumph and I really place it as my title for this blog entry. It's very rare that I win anything, probably in my life I have won, hmm let see…maybe one or two competitions. It’s funny the way things work sometimes. I never really considered myself a “lucky” person when it comes to contests or entering drawings. I am usually the last person picked.

This year, I won!! It was my first time to win an international contest (!). It was an essay competition, organized by Academy of Korean Studies in Korea titled 'I Bring Korea before the World' (“내가 한국바로알리기 주인공” 에세이 공모 이벤트 소개).

This competition intends to raise the awareness of local students and overseas Koreans on correcting errors in textbooks and materials on the understanding of Korea and to promote "Understanding Korea" project domestically and internationally.

This contest has two parts; I guess first part was easier than the second part, because 1st part was an essay on how to promote awareness about Korea while part two was focused on material reviews. (Books and other materials in teaching Korean language)

For this competition each category will have its grand, runner up and participation winners. Prizes are Galaxy tab, Smart Digi Camera, Automatic (touch screen) Dictionary respectively.

I purposely joined the 2nd part hoping few peeps will participate since it was a complex subject (in my opinion), so few sender means more chances of winning har-har-har.

But to my surprise there were so many participants worldwide (!). Lucky winners of Part two category : 1st was from US, 2nd prize were from Russia, China and Kazakhstan and 3rd or Participation prizes were from Indonesia, Philippines(and its me!!!) and New Zealand. It was the first open competition event ever organized by Academy of Korean Studies, it was successful and it even took a lot of time to screen and review the applications/entries. It’s such a grand feeling to know that they like my piece!

Lately I was joining several competitions and my entry here, boy, I really had fun writing it the most. Lastly I've learned that an achiever doesn't dwell too much on the prizes and awards. Oh, don't get me wrong. I like the big earnings and the popularity (what earnings and popularity?! :p).Kidding aside, that's all pleasant and rare, but real pleasure is doing what I love (that is spreading and studying Korean Language) and prizes are an added bonus.

Royal Welcome ~

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Simply Princess is ..

...a blogger who loves Japan beyond anime and Korea beyond KPOP. She is passionate in different cultures and races but she believe that Japan is her first love and Korea is her soul mate . She works as a Sr. Software Quality Assurance Engineer and when not geeking out over work she's geeking out over film, vegan food, technology, people and culture of Japan and Korea, she has an unhealthy addiction to anime, manga and K-drama.